Riding with us

Registration

It is essential that we have the names and contact details of all ride participants.  Please complete our contact details form before coming on your first ride with us. If you're not a Cycling UK member, please let the Ride Leader know, as this information is needed for insurance. Non-members are permitted to join up to three rides. 

Riders Under 18

York Wednesday Wheelers does not have a Junior section but young people for whom the rides are appropriate are welcome to join the group. To ensure their welfare any young person below the age of 18 years must be accompanied by either a parent/guardian or a responsible adult acting in loco parentis.

They must also submit a parental consent form signed by parent or legal guardian.

In Case of Emergency (ICE) card

We recommend that everyone riding with us should carry a mobile phone set to allow access to emergency contact details. Advice on setting up your ICE information on a Mobile Phone.  There are also Medical ID apps, for example, Android and iOS. Otherwise, please carry one of our green ICE cards somewhere it will always be with you when you ride with us. Should we ever have to use it (we haven’t yet, thank goodness), we would look in your saddle bag, tool kit, and wallet/purse. Ask a Committee member about ICE cards at the start of any ride.

You and Your Bike

Our club is about leisure rides with fine countryside, good company and good cafes, not racing.  However, so rides can be completed in a reasonable time, all our groups have a published average speed.  On flat terrain and/or with a tailwind, riders will often travel a little above that speed, but this is compensated for by slower speeds uphill or against the wind; each ride’s average speed should be close to that published.  

Ride          Average Speed    Summer distance   Winter Distance

          1               13 – 15 mph          75 – 100 miles        50  – 65 miles

         1A              12 – 14 mph          70 – 100 miles        45 – 65 miles

         1B              12 – 14 mph          70 – 100 miles        45 – 65 miles

       2 & 3            11 – 12 mph          70 – 100 miles        40 – 65 miles

          4               10 – 11 mph          45 – 65 miles          40 – 50 miles

     5                11 – 12 mph          35 – 45 miles          35 – 45 miles

Please try to choose a ride within your capabilities so that the leader can keep the group together. Whilst leaders will do their best to keep a group together, if you find you are significantly slower than the group’s scheduled speed please be prepared to tell the leader that  you are turning back. 

You are welcome to participate in rides on any kind of bike that you can ride at your chosen group’s speed.  You are responsible for ensuring that your machine is safe and legal to use on UK roads.  If it is not, your third-party insurance from Cycling UK is likely to be invalid. Details of this week's rides can be found on the Calendar page. 

Riding in a group

If you have not ridden in a group before make sure to read the Cycling UK Group Rider Checklist. For a fuller guide to the etiquette of group riding see The Wheel Easy! guide to cycling in a group. The following points concern specific issues that have arisen repeatedly in the group.

Contacting the leader during your ride

The mobile numbers of our leaders are provided in case you have a problem during the ride and are unable to pass a message up the peloton. Be prepared to leave a voice message or text. The leader may not be able to take your call or reply immediately.

Junctions and level crossings

Please be extra vigilant when approaching junctions and level crossings as the rider in front may have to stop suddenly.

Bridleways

Leaders will sometimes choose a bridleway as a small part of a route. If you have concerns about this you should contact the leader before the ride or in Exhibition Square before you set off.

Make a gap

Do not forget the needs of other road users. On roads where there is motor traffic, Wheelers should split into smaller subgroups leaving gaps in between to allow traffic to pass. The general rule is, if there are 8 or more riders immediately in front of you pull back and make a gap. Tell riders who come to overtake you that that is what you are doing.

Wait at junctions

If you are ahead of the leader please wait at any junction. You may know the route but the following cyclist may not. Waiting will allow the riders to regroup and will allow the leader to achieve a target average speed over the whole ride. 

Leaving the ride

On the way home riders will peel off at different points in the ride. When you are about to leave the ride, please try to inform the leader directly, or by passing a message up the peloton.

Mudguards

Please use a bike with mudguards and consider fitting an additional mud flap. If caught out without mudguards by unexpected wet weather please ride at the back of the group where you will not spray other riders.

Lights

We always intend to be back before dark but you should always take lights on those dingy winter days in case we are late back or just to be seen. If you have a very bright rear light consider switching it to a dimmer setting when in the peloton so as not to dazzle the rider immediately behind you.

Leaders

Our rides can only take place because of the members who volunteer to lead rides.  Be kind to your ride leader. If you would like to lead or have a favourite ride that might be suitable as a Wednesday ride, please contact the Rides Secretary  

Finally

If you have enjoyed a ride or have any photos, please consider making a post on the Wednesday Wheelers Facebook page. If you have any problems, please tell the leader or the Rides Secretary 

You can join other Wednesday Wheelers on Strava and log your ride. (Use the privacy settings to hide your start and end position.) 

There is an extensive searchable database of previous rides at  Ride Archive.   Many of these rides have a GPX track. 

Photos from our rides can be found on Flickr here and here and on Facebook.